1.
to blow violently; to rage (of wind or storm)
describes wind, storms, or blizzards blowing with great force and intensity
台風が吹き荒れている。
The typhoon is raging.
吹雪が一晩中吹き荒れた。
The blizzard raged all night long.
強風が吹き荒れて外に出られない。
The strong wind is blowing so violently that I can't go outside.
2.
to sweep through; to rage (figuratively)
used figuratively for social phenomena, trends, or turmoil spreading or intensifying dramatically
リストラの嵐が吹き荒れた。
A wave of layoffs swept through.
批判の嵐が吹き荒れている。
A storm of criticism is raging.
不況が吹き荒れる中、会社は生き残った。
The company survived amid the raging recession.
FORMATION:
吹く (to blow) + 荒れる (to become rough/wild) → to blow wildly
CONJUGATION:
Ichidan verb (一段動詞)
- 吹き荒れる → 吹き荒れない → 吹き荒れて → 吹き荒れた
TRANSITIVITY:
Intransitive verb (自動詞)
COMMON SUBJECTS:
- 風/強風 (wind/strong wind)
- 台風 (typhoon)
- 吹雪 (blizzard)
- 嵐 (storm)
- ~の嵐 (storm of ~) - figurative
FIGURATIVE USAGE:
The 嵐 metaphor is commonly combined with this verb for social/economic phenomena:
- リストラの嵐 (wave of restructuring/layoffs)
- 批判の嵐 (storm of criticism)
- 不況の嵐 (storm of recession)